Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture

Amidst the last console generation, Codemaster’s DiRT franchise has become the dominant off-road racing title, thanks to its refined driving physics and accomplished visuals. Yet, the descendant of the Colin McCrae series has gradually deserted its rallying foundations. 2011’s DiRT ...

In theory, MUD FIM Motocross World Championship seems like an obvious progression for Milan-based developer Milestone S.r.l. Combining expertise garnered across six iterations of the SBK: Superbike World Championship asphalt-centered series, with some of the dirt-based racing of the studio’s ...

Not long ago, I would have preferred reviewing an entry in the implausibly prolific Petz franchise than to tackle another NASCAR title. While I emphatically enjoy an engaging racer, both EA Sports’ (NASCAR Thunder 2004, NASCAR 06: Total Team Control) ...

One of my greatest grievances with console gaming has been the dumbing down of simulations. In an attempt to court a broader audience, once complex franchises such as Dragon Age, Splinter Cell and DiRT have shunned their intricacy, shirking many ...

Beyond the challenge of mastering a complicated control scheme, simulations have another remarkable virtue: they allow the average player to operate prohibitively-priced equipment. From dogfighting with $30 million F-15 Eagles in Lock On: Modern Air Combat to engaging a distant ...

Like most burgeoning industries, globalization is having a sweeping effect on our games. From the undeniable Western influence that has permeated through titles such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots to the North American-developed Dead Rising 2 ...

Much like the botched drift that ruins the possibility of a record-setting lap time, Ridge Racer seemed fated for failure. The game’s February release across European territories filled Metacritic with chastising critiques for the Vita title, with many reviewers reprimanding ...

As Jaime Kennedy’s character fatefully noted in Scream 2, the majority of film sequels are inferior to their predecessor. Fortunately, that tenet doesn’t typically apply to gaming, where follow-ups traditionally improve with each subsequent iteration. One of the most distressing ...

When Ubisoft announced that it would be publishing a handful of GameLoft’s smartphone titles for the PlayStation Vita, I thought it was a fantastic idea. Finally, a dedicated portable would have some quality budget games to help it compete with ...

What is the concept? One of the more remarkable racers during the 8 and 16-bit eras was Codemaster’s Micro Machines franchise, which delivered frenzied competitions from a distinctive overhead perspective. Although subsequent series entries were created for the PSOne and ...